Shadow and Soul
by Aluralas
Summary: Laothwyn has been sent to Hogwarts for her own protection but is she really safe from the shadows that haunt her dreams?


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Shadow and Soul

Hogwarts

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The sky was dark as she stepped from the boat that had delivered her to the steps of the castle, lit by the thousand windows penetrating the darkness. Snow drifted down in waves, early this year thanks to a freak snowstorm and she was becoming thoroughly soaked thanks to the large wet flakes falling from the sky. Turning back to the boat her eyes glowed blue and then, returning to their normal green colour she trudged up the darkened steps to the large door in front of her. Taking a deep breath she opened it, bringing flying snow blowing inside and closed it with difficulty as the wind was trying desperately to keep the door open. Looking around for the nearest teacher she knew that if she encountered a student that she would be in trouble, unable to explain her circumstances and why she was arriving so late. Seeing Professor Dumbledore walking with a group of students, she immediately rushed over to him, glad at the sight of someone familiar. 

"Grandfather!"

His eyes lit up when he saw her and embraced her warmly, "Hello Laothwyn, I wasn't expecting you for another couple of days!" His happiness played across his entire face as he looked nervously over at the students beside him. 

Oliver Wood and the Weasley twins had been discussing modifications to the Qudditch pitch when this girl came up and hugged Professor Dumbledore for no reason, claiming that she was some relation to him. They hung back as he began speaking to her like an old friend.

"Who is she?"

"I think she's Dumbledore's granddaughter or something," Oliver whispered, looking over this new student who seemed out of place, as if something wasn't quite right about her.

Dumbledore looked over his shoulder at the three students and began to lead his young charge towards the Grand Hall and away from the prying eyes of the curious students. The Sorting Ceremony and dinner had already taken place, guaranteeing the hall's emptiness at the moment. The boys began to follow, curious as always about new students but Dumbledore shut the doors on them, keeping them from discovering out more about his granddaughter.

"How many people saw you on your way here?" Dumbledore asked after shutting the doors, a concerned look on his face as he enchanted the doors to block all 'normal' sound from the boys he knew were listening outside.

"Well, Hagrid directed me to the boat but he told me that I was supposed to travel alone and not draw attention to myself. He told me that I was to find you as soon as I arrived; I'm assuming it's for some reason?"

"Well, yes, but first I think it's time to remove that memory block. Sed semprum, doriay." He waved his wand in front of the girl and prepared to catch her as she fell, stunned by the removal of the block on her mind that had existed for many months over her past. 

Laothywn's mind swam and she felt as if a weight had been lifted from her mind. One past had been removed and another replaced it as she fell into oblivion, waking several minutes later on the ground of the hall. Lying on the ground she looked at Dumbledore with sorrow, the feeling of betrayal spreading throughout her entire being.

"Why?" Close to tears she waited for his explanation of the invasion and perversion that had been placed in her mind. 

"I'm sorry my dear, it had to be done. If you had fallen into the wrong hands you could have been persuaded to tell them everything."

"But I wouldn't…"

"There are ways to make anyone, even the most steadfast person, speak about that which they wish not to."

"I see, so what am I to do here?" Wiping away the tears that had come she tried to compose herself, accepting what had been done to her without permission.

"You have been enrolled in a variety of classes and will be known as my granddaughter, though I believe that visage will be a difficult one to keep up."

"What kind of classes?" 

"There is a mixture, ranging from first to fifth-year classes, depending on what you are proficient at."

Oh, will I be able to go out and see the sky?" 

"The closest I could get you was flying lessons and practicing Quidditch with our teams. I hope that's good enough."

"Could I go out before dawn, just to be out there?" The hopeful look in her eyes dissipated into the air as she hung her head, knowing already what the answer would be.

"I wish I could accommodate you but it wouldn't be safe and the other students would eventually find out. They too would wish to break the rules and at the moment discipline is one of the only things holding this school together," his eyes filled with worry as he tried not to let Laothwyn know how bad things were getting.

Just then, Professor McGonagall entered the hall from a side door and was carrying a small scrap of paper. Her face brightened when she saw Dumbledore's new charge but soon turned to a scowl as she spoke.

"This just arrived by owl, it's from the Council; they want us to monitor your progress and give you a bodyguard. I tried to tell them that we'll do no such thing here, but they just wouldn't listen to reason…"

"I believe that we can provide some sort of protection for her," Dumbledore looked meaningfully at McGonagall, trying to send her a subliminal message.

"Look, I don't need a bodyguard, I'll be fine. Besides, don't you think everyone will get suspicious with somebody following me around?" Laothwyn's eyes were desperate as she looked from one teacher to another.

"I know someone who could be discreet about this sort of thing. You won't even notice him," Dumbledore smiled, thinking who would be perfect for the job while McGonagall understood what he was getting at and her jaw dropped.

"You can't be thinking of Hagrid? He's got enough to do around here without having to follow Laothwyn around. And besides, can we really trust him with someone like her? You know how he likes to bring in dangerous pets."

"I agree with McGonagall, I don't need to be taking up Hagrid's time," Laothwyn crossed her arms.

"I don't believe this decision is up for discussion." Dumbledore turned and walked to the side of the hall. "I believe I'm ready to see what the Elders were talking about," his face solid as stone.

"Very well," she backed away from McGonagall into the middle of the hall and threw off her cloak. Underneath she was wearing a pure white uniform complete with boots.

McGonagall practically choked again, "You were expressly forbidden not to wear that! Anyone might be able to see you and know you for who you truly are!"

"I was told to demonstrate my abilities to you and that is what I'm prepared to do. I feel better working in this anyway." 

She closed her eyes and the doors began to rattle. Oliver, Fred and George who had been listening for any sort of sound from the other side of the doors saw them shake and heard a very loud poof sound from inside the hall. 

"Eavesdropping boys? Tsk tsk, how utterly low of you," a voice from behind startled the three young Quidditch players.

They turned to see Snape towering over them with a look of disdain playing across his face, a sneer on his lips. 

"If you want to meet our new student then you can at least wait until she gets to the Common Room."

"She's staying in Griffyndor?" Oliver's face lit up gladdened that he would be seeing this new girl again some time in the future.

"That was Professor Dumbledore's order, though I can see her being perfectly at home in Slytherin. Shouldn't you boys be in class?" His eyes narrowed as he wondered exactly why they had been snooping, thinking that there was nothing the boys should know about the new girl and wondered why they were so intrigued. Dumbledore certainly wouldn't have given anything away and Laothwyn knew better than that and so he wondered by the boys were so interested. 

"Yes, Professor Snape, we were just going." The three boys scuttled away, throwing glares at Snape's back and glaring at his interruption of their fun.

With that Snape looked around to see if anyone was watching him and snuck into the hall, slamming the door behind him.

"Have I already missed the demonstration?" He glanced at Laothwyn who was just fixing her uniform from its currently ruffled state.

"Unfortunately yes Snape, but there will be other opportunities. Laothwyn will be tested weekly and I'm sure you will be able to squeeze some time into your busy schedule to watch her."

"I should be going then, I have Double Potions next. Laothwyn," he inclined his head towards the new girl. 

"Is everyone going to treat me like this?" She looked up at Dumbledore.

"Well it isn't often that we have one of your kind here, in fact we've never had anyone quite like you enter this school. I'm afraid that's all for today, McGonagall will show you to your room." Dumbledore took his leave and left Laothwyn alone with her floating trunk and the professor. 

"I believe you will settle in quite easily but first we need to do something about your name."

"What about my name?" Her eyes flashed.

"It's not common, not exactly right. You need something that won't draw any attention to you. How does…Taylor sound?"

She made a face, "That's a boys name!"

"Actually it can be used by either sex and in your case I think it fits. But before we go anywhere I want you to change out of those clothes," she indicated the white uniform Laothwyn was wearing, "did you get the package of Hogwarts clothes that was sent to you?"

"It's in my trunk, why, do you want me to change right now?"

"It would be preferable," McGonagall turned around as if to give Laothwyn some privacy.

The girl sighed and focused her sight on the trunk, her eyes glowing blue. Her uniform began to shimmer and was replaced by a black cloak with a Hogwarts insignia on it.

"Ready," she sighed again, wishing she could just curl up and go to sleep, tired from the demonstration.

"Follow me then," McGonagall showed no sign that she was surprised by the quick change and instead led Laothwyn through a maze of twisting passages and moving staircases. Arriving at a painting of an extremely well endowed lady she stopped and spoke, "Balderdash."

The painting opened and produced a passage behind the large work of art. Walking through it she came into a room with a roaring fireplace and several people that were looking at her with a mixture of curiosity and surprise. 

"This is your new classmate, Taylor. As a Griffyndor she will take classes with you and I expect that you will all treat her kindly and with respect."

McGonagall turned to one girl and spoke quietly to her and then left Laothwyn, leaving through the entrance which they had come through without so much as a goodbye. Laothwyn looked around at the staring students and just wanted to fall down a hole right then and there. 

"Alexandra at your service," the girl McGonagall spoke to walked up to Laothwyn and offered her hand. 

Shaking it nervously the new girl followed Alexandra upstairs as the students of Griffyndor stared wide-eyed at her floating trunk. On the way up the stairs she passed a strange looking boy who seemed somewhat out of place like she was. His ruffled black hair and green eyes were startling to stare at and she was quite frightened that this boy was one of 'his' agents, come to destroy her. 

She looked down at the ground when passing him and hurried after Alexandra, hoping that she wouldn't encounter him again too soon.

"So, the rumor going around is your Dumbledore's granddaughter?" Alexandra flopped down on one of the many beds in the room they had just entered.

"Yes, that's right Alexandra," Laothwyn looked around the room, trying to find a bed that was unoccupied but wasn't having any success.

"Call me Alex, I think there's a bed by the window that no one's claimed.

"Thank you, I appreciate your help."

"So, how exactly is the professor related to you? Most people didn't even know he was married."

"It's…complicated." Laothwyn was trying to avoid the subject altogether, knowing that she would screw up the story and someone would eventually work out the truth. As she was unpacking her clothes she heard a loud band coming from downstairs.

"Alright, where is she?" 

Her eyes froze in terror; she knew that voice, that dark grating voice from her dreams. Icy tone made her shiver as she stared toward the door through which the voice had come.

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Author's Note: First of all: Disclaimer. Duh, I don't own Harry Potter but Laothwyn is all mine. If you steal her then I will hunt you down and do to you what happened to a man in one of my other stories. To those of you who've read Shattered Glass, kudos to you, you know who I'm talking about. For those of you who don't, the story's on FictinPress *hint, hint*.

Well, this is my first HP fanfic and I hope it's well received. So, how do you like Laothwyn and is the storyline mysterious enough for you? So mysterious that you're going to want to read more? I certainly hope so! Stay tuned for updates!


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